The Quebec Senior Lacrosse League does appear to be making progress in that area. The St. Regis Nike Sneakers Heels

As with any potential franchise, of course, two key issues are solid ownership and a deal with an arena that is beneficial to the team. Filion says plans are in the works that could make both of those factors align in a Montreal team's favour. "[It looks like] the Montreal Canadiens will be building an arena on the north side of Montreal, in Laval. That could be the area where an eventual Montreal pro team would play," he told IL Indoor.

Filion says that while Quebec to this point has not produced players of the calibre to play in the NLL, he envisions a day when that will be the case. "We're not producing great lacrosse. Had we won numerous Canadian championships we could say we are producing good lacrosse," Filion says. "We are producing teams that compete at national championships. Sometimes it's pretty decent, but we do not win titles on a regular basis. We're not the Peterborough Lakers; that's not our level of play and that's not our level of excellence.

The hope is that when that day arrives, the possibility of those players hitting the turf in Montreal will exist. The exhibition game is just the first step, but every journey begins with a single step.

Braves have won the last two Three Nations Lacrosse League titles and gone on to capture the Presidents Cup (Canadian Senior B championship) both times, in 2011 defeating league rival Snake Island Muskies in the gold medal game. Those teams, while they did include local talent, relied on key contributions from players brought in from away.

﻿Can the Montreal exhibition game lead to the retur

Both Filion and the National Lacrosse League caution that the game is not a referendum on the question of whether Montreal will get a team. A huge turnout doesn't necessarily mean a team will follow and vice versa. It's more of an opportunity to showcase the game and some of its stars and to attract the interest of potential investors who could make the dream of returning pro lacrosse to Montreal a reality.

The main purpose of the new building, says Filion, will be for the Canadiens to bring an American Hockey League team to the area. An NLL team would make ideal co tenants, he suggests. Filion also says the 1,500 tickets he had reserved for Quebec Lacrosse Federation sold in four days. "These two teams are not from Montreal in any way. There are no French guys on the teams, there are no Quebec guys on either team. Bringing in two teams from outside the province has generated in four days 1,500 tickets being sold. That's a good indication that there's a market, that there's interest and great passion for the game."

when a team comes to Montreal we are in a position to produce quality players."

NLL Commissioner George Daniel is on board with the idea, saying "it would be huge" for the league to have a franchise return to the city for the first time since the Montreal Express left over a decade ago. "It's absolutely critical for us in the long run," he said at the press conference announcing the game. "I think for us to have the appropriate national Canadian presences, we need to have Montreal and Vancouver in addition to the three cities Foamposite Halloween Release that we have now."

The organizers of the December 15 exhibition game between the Rochester Knighthawks and the Toronto Rock hope that the contest is a first step towards the eventual return of the National Lacrosse League to Montreal. Pierre Filion, of the Quebec Lacrosse Federation, says "the intent is to showcase the game of lacrosse at its best level with two of the great teams in the league and to generate interest for investors. The medium range goal is to get a team."

Plans for the new facility include three rinks with varying seating capacities: one practice rink, one with 3,000 seats and one with 10,000. The latter would lend itself to serving as the home for an NLL team, Filion says. Even more important, according to Filion, is the interest of the Canadiens in being involved with the team. He says the fact that Evenko, the firm that manages events at the Bell Centre (home of the Canadiens), is Nike Hyperfuse Basketball Shoes Mens

While it's not realistic to suggest a Montreal team could be filled with Quebecers, Filion says the day when Quebecois players make it to the top level of the sport may not be far off and that having an NLL team in the city could help the push in that direction. "Quebec players are playing in the Ontario Junior A league. These guys aren't riding the bench, they are playing," he says. "So eventually these guys will be drafted with a pro team and that's going to be the start of a movement that will create a far greater interest."

"What I'm looking for in a few years is to have Quebec born and raised players from either the ILA or the Quebec senior league play in the National Lacrosse League. Not today or tomorrow, but we are hopeful that if and Nike Foamposite Anniversary

organizing the exhibition suggests the hockey team is warm to the idea.